The effects of moral judgment and moral identity on moral behavior: An empirical examination of the moral individual

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Reynolds, Scott J.; Ceranic, Tara L.
• 署名单位: University of Washington; University of Washington Seattle
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/0021-9010.92.6.1610
• 发表日期: 2007
• 页码: 1610-1624
• 关键词: moral judgment; ethical predispositions; MORAL IDENTITY; social consensus; Moral behavior

摘要

Recognizing limitations in classic cognitive moral development theory, several scholars have drawn from theories of identity to suggest that moral behavior results from both moral judgments and moral identity. The authors conducted 2 survey-based studies with more than 500 students and managers to test this argument. Results demonstrated that moral identity and moral judgments both independently influenced moral behavior. In addition, in situations in which social consensus regarding the moral behavior was not high, moral judgments and moral identity interacted to shape moral behavior. This interaction effect indicated that those who viewed themselves as moral individuals pursued the most extreme alternatives (e.g., never cheating, regularly cheating) - a finding that affirms the motivational power of a moral identity. The authors conclude by considering the implications of this research for both theory and practice.